Overhead electrical conductor system



June 19, 1923;

H. B. P. WRENN ET AL OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR SYSTEM F lled Nov. 11, 1922 Patented June 19, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT orr cs.

v HENRY B. P. WRENN AND ALOYSIUS S. ODONOGHUE, OF CLEVELAND OHIG OVERHEAD ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR SYSTEM.

Application filed November 11, 1922. Serial No. 600,458.

1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, HENRY B. P. vVRnNN and ALOYSIUS S. ODoNocrrUn, citizens of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in thecounty of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio,

have invented a certain new and useful Imsion system which-shall comprise a mainfeeder conductor suspended in any suitable manner and from which are supported a plurality of wear'resisting contact wires which shall receive current from said conductor at certain definite points.

Another object is to provide an overhead suspension system which shall be composed of ,a plurality of contact wires arranged in such manner that movement of the collector thereover will cause a movement of said contact wires in advance of said collector which shall serve to dislodge ice and snow from said wire-s.

,- maximum area of contact which shall reduce arcing to a minimum.

Another object is'to provide an overhead suspension system which shall be so constructed as to provide flexibility between the collector and contact-wires and be devoid of what are commonly referred to as hard spots.

Astill further object is to provide a suspension system of the aforesaid character which shall be easy to erect and maintain, highly durable in operation, and which shall consist of few parts.

WVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the various novel features of construction and arrangement or combination, all of which will be fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing wherein we have shown one form of our invention, Fig.

1 is a side elevation of a portion of an over: head suspension employing our improved construction; Fig. 2 is an enlarged-sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the clamps for fastening the contact wire to the main feeder conductor.

Describing. the various parts by reference characters 1 denotes a suitable support from which a suspension cable 2Yis hung.

A plurality of hangers 3 depend from cable 2 at spaced intervals and these hangers support a main feeder conductor 4 which is adapted to transmit the electrical energy for the system. This conductor is preferably made of a metal which is a good conductor of electricity; such as copper or phosphor bronze and may be either of a solid orstranded nature.

Suspended from feed wire 4 are a plurality of contact wires 7 which maybe made of steel or other wear resisting metal. In the present instance we have shown two contact wires although it will be under stood that more than two wires may be employed for heavier currents where desired. Each wire is provided with undercut portions 8 to form essentially a dovetail cross section for the reception of-the clamps 9. Each of the clamps is preferably formed of two pieces of metal fastened together in any suitable manner as by bolts 1.0 and screws 11 and having the upper end thereof shaped to receive the feed conductor f and thelower end shaped to conform to the dove-tailed portion of the contact wire.

These clamps serve as electrical connections between the main feeder conductorff and the contact wires 7 and permit current to flow from said feed conductor to thecontact wires at a plurality ofpoints thereby reducing the resistance of the transfer to a minimum.

As shown in exaggerated form in Fig. 1, one of the wires 7 is suspended from feed conductor 4 by the aforesaid clamps attached at definite intervals along the main feeder conductor and the other of said contact wires is fastened in a similar manner at points intermediate to the clamps of the first mentioned wire, thereby forming a series of overlapping loops for contact with a sliding or rolling collector.

It will be noted in this connection, that hangers 3 are attached to feed conductor 4 at points substantially midway of two adj acent clamps. This arrangement provides max mum flexibility for the system and eliminates what are commonly referred to as hard spots. In other words, as the collector moves overthe contact wires 7, it will force them upward to the same level and the maximum upward movement of these wires will occur at the point where they cross, which is substantially the midpoint between two clamps. The hangers :3 are in vertical alignment with such midpoint and hence any upward thrust will be absorbed by the aforesaid upward movement of the contact wires at this point and will not be transmitted to the hangers.

As the collector moves over the contact wires, it will force them upward to the same level as previously described and thereby cause a relative shearing movement between said contact wires in advance of the collector. This movement of the contact wires and the shearing effect produced therefrom will serve to loosen and clear any ice or snow which might collect on the wires and such loosening and clearing of ice and snow will be in advance of the line of travel of the collector, thereby permitting the collector to make good electrical contact with the wires 7 at all times.

' a plurality of contact wires connected to said feeder wire, said contact wires being arranged in a series of overlapping loops.

2. An electrical system of the character set forth com rising a main feeder wire and a plurality 0 contact wires suspended from said feeder wire, each of said contact wires being suspended independently at a plurality of points from said feederwireto provide a series of overlapping loops.

8. An electrical system of the character set forth comprising a suspension cable, a main feeder wire of high conductivity sus-, pended from said cable, and a plurality of wear resisting contact wires connected to said feeder wire, the points of connection of said feeder wire and suspension cable lying intermediate to the points of connection of said contact wires with said feeder wire.

4. An electrical system of the character set forth comprising a suspension cable, a main feeder wire suspended from said suspension cable, and a plurality of contact wires connected to said feeder wire.

5. An electricalsystem of the character main feeder wire suspended from said suspension cable, and a pair of contact wires suspended from said feeder wire, one of said contact wires being connected to said feeder wire, at spaced intervals to define a series of loops, and the other of said contact wires being connected to said feeder wire intermediate to the points of connection of said first mentoned wire thereby to provide a second series of loops overlapping the first mentioned series of loops.

7. An electrical system of the character set forth comprising a main feeder wire and a plurality of contact wires clamped to said feeder wire at a plurality of points, said clamps serving as conductors for the transfer of electrical energy from said feeder wire to said contact wires. a

In testimony whereof, we hereunto afiix our signatures.

HENRY B. P. WRENN. ALOYSIUS S. ODONOGHUE. 

